Plastic false muntin for windows



Nov. 19, 1968 M. KESSLER 3,411,253

PLASTIC FALSE MUNTIN FOR WINDOWS Filed Feb. 27, 1967 FIG. I.

INVENT OR Mf/lon Kass/er BY M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,411,258 PLASTIC FALSE MUNTIN FOR WINDOWS Milton Kessler, 6690 Harrington, Youngstown, Ohio 44512 Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,987 3 Claims. (Cl. 52456) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Plastic false muntin for giving a single large glass window the appearance of colonial window with smaller lights including special end caps for removably retaining the plastic false muntin or grille in place.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a plastic grille or false muntin which is applied to a single-pane window to give it the appearance of a multiple-pane window having a number of small lights. Special end caps are provided which can be fixed to the window frame, and the plastic grille can be readily attached to the window by inserting the ends thereof into these caps, the grille being readily removable so that the window can be easily washed as a single large-pane unit. The end caps are so made that they provide the minimum of obstruction adjacent the glass window pane, so as to interfere as little as possible with washing or cleaning the window when the grille is removed.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a window according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an end cap showing the fastening means therefor;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the window frame showing the manner in which the end cap is attached thereto;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the manner in which the false muntin or grille is attached to the window; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a typical window is shown having a frame 2, commonly a wooden frame, although it may also be a metal frame, e.g., aluminum. The frame is provided with a single large glass window pane 3, and in order to give it the appearance of a window made up of a number of smaller lights, the false muntin 4 is provided, in the form of a molded plastic grille, which is attached to the window frame by means of end caps 6 into which the free ends of the grilles are inserted, after the end caps have been suitably aflixed to the frame 2.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a single end cap, which is simply nailed to the sash as shown in FIG. 3, in the case of a wooden sash, a dimple 5 being provided at the base of the cap in order to facilitate the process of nailing, or alternatively, a hole may be provided at this point. In the case of a metal frame, it "may be necessary to drill a small hole in the frame, and to use a small fastening element such as a sheet-meta1 screw or any of the special fastening devices known in the trade for this purpose. The proper locations for the caps 6 can be readily determined by first placing the grille against the window and marking off the points where the ends cross the frame 2. The grille may be used for windows several sizes smaller than the size of the grille, by simply cutting the ends down to size; this merely results in the reduc- "ice tion in the size of those lights which are adjacent the sash.

The caps 6 are preferably also made of plastic, although in some cases thin sheet metal may be used. The plastic material of which the grille is made should have a cross section such that, as shown in FIG. 5, the base of the grille lies flat against the glass pane 3, thus providing the desired appearance from both sides of the window.

After the caps have been fastened in place, the plastic grill can be inserted as shown in FIG. 4, by inserting the ends into the cap 6 on one side, and bowing the plastic material until the opposite end can also be inserted, this being done for both the vertical and horizontal strips of the grille. The plastic composition should have sufficient rigidity to lie flat against the window pane when the hand pressure is released. When it is desired to wash the window, the grille may be readily removed in the same manner, which greatly facilitates the washing of the window as a single large pane, after which the grille may be readily replaced.

The fastening caps 6 are preferbly slanted back toward the base as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, so as to offer the least possible obstruction to window cleaning by exposing the maximum amount of glass surface.

The visible exterior surface of the grille is preferably formed to resemble conventional wooden muntin strips or sash bars, and provides a very realistic colonial appearance to any window to which it is applied.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination,

(a) a single glass window having a frame and a single glass pane held in said frame,

(b) a one-piece flexible molded plastic false muntin having at least one slender horizontal muntin strip and at least one slender vertical muntin strip crossing each other and dividing the glass pane into a number of lights,

(0) end sockets for removably securing the ends of said slender muntin strips, said muntin strips being sufiiciently flexible to be inserted into and removed from said sockets by flexing the strips,

((1) fastening means individually securing each end socket to said frame,

(e) said slender muntin strips being flat on one side, said side lying against the glass pane; said strips having the cross sectional shape of a conventional muntin strip on the side away from the pane,

(f) said end sockets having a similar shape to snugly receive the respective strip ends,

(g) each said socket extending over the end of its contained muntin strip on the side away from the glass pane for a sufiicient distance to firmly hold the strip in place, the edge of each socket slanting in toward toward the frame to which it is fastened to expose a maximum amount of glass pane surface when the false muntin is removed to facilitate cleaning of the glass.

2. The invention according to claim 1, said frame being a wooden frame and each said socket being of plastic and nailed to the frame.

3. In combination,

(a) a single glass window having a frame and a single glass pane held in said frame,

(b) a one-piece flexible molded plastic false muntin having at least one slender horizontal muntin strip and at least one slender vertical muntin strip cross- 3 ing each other and dividing the glass pane into a number of lights,

(c) end sockets for removably securing the ends of said slender muntin strips,

((1) fastening means individually securing each end socket to said frame,

(e) said slender muntin strips being flat on one side, said side by lying against the glass pane; said strips having the cross sectional shape of a conventional muntin strip on the side away from the pane,

(f) said end sockets having a similar shape to snuglyreceive the respective strip ends,

(g) each said socket extending over the end of its contain muntin strip on the side away from the glass pane for a sufficient distance to firmly hold the strip in place, the edge of each socket slanting in toward the frame to which it is fastened to expose a maximum amount of glass pane surface when the false muntin is removed to facilitate cleaning of the glass,

(b) said frame being a wooden frame and each said socket being of plastic and nailed to the frame,

(i) each said socket having a base lying directly against a portion of the window frame and having a nailing dimple in said base to facilitate positioning and driving a nail therethrough into said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 810,604 1/1906 Baier 52204 1,199,893 10/1916 Hernmann 5'2311 1,522,756 1/ 1925 Swinton 52-456 1,701,004 2/1929 Hawthorne 52r'507 2,938,248 5/1960 Hadary 52-456 3,108,336 10/1963 Tate 52456 X 3,293,817 12/1966 MacGregor 52-456 3,340,661 9/1967 Krieger 52--507 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED C. PERI-1AM, Assistant Examiner. 

